Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-23
THE FRIENDS TALK.
vaArMHsBrBsor THIS socrgTysAiD
IN tn IL cLuvBRlUs 1STERyIEW.
9he Deserted Room Still Kept Under Lock
and Key. and tho Mystery
Thereof Unsolve1. &C.

The fact JAS been heretofore pub
lishcd that Mr.. John b. Crenshaw, 4
member of the Society of Friends, il
company with Mr.. King, Of North Caro-
lima, another Friend, visited Cluyeriu
on two occasions short while befor'
his execution. On both OF these day
rome religious conversation took place
and prayers were offered for the con
dcmncd man.
Hearing yesterday that Mr.. Crenshav
or his companion had attempted to IN
culcate Cluverius with the belief that i
YVES not his duty to-confess his sins &
man. hut only 70 God, reporter oil
this paper visited MIR. Crenshaw at In
place of business, on Broad street be
tween Ninth and Tenth, and asked hin
If the rumOr was correct.
Mr.. Cronshaw smiled us he replied
that It was not. "Ihat, said he
"would be contrary 10 our religion
Does not the Bible say-let me see II
one place-in James, the 10th verse o.
the 9TH chapter, Confess your fault,
one 10 another, and pray one fol
another. that We may be healed
The cffectual, fcrvent prayer OF s
righteous man availcth much. Anc
thcn there are many other passage
which show that man should confess
his SINS 10 his brethren"
did YOU or your friend ever talk tC
Cluverius about confession of SINS
"No: neither he nor | ever did.
But hing said 10 him-oh, l reckon
this is tie way the umor got out,
although IL was an incorrect interpreta-
ton to put on the sentence-he eXhort-
ed him 10 look 10 the Lord, for there
was no hope in man. That remem-
Der King remarked, INIT il had no bear
ing that / can see on the subject oil con-
fession of sins TO man.
"What do You think OF this man
Cluvorius?
"AsItold YOU l only went to the
nail twice, and did not see enough of
him to form a Just opinion. Myln-
terest and work in this case Is not con
fined TO Cluverius. | rise above the in
dividual. l am opposed to capital
punishment, and it is the great work of
my life to do all | can to get the law
changed SO as to do away with it. sta
tistics show that where hanging is le-
galiZed the murders are more frequent.
The act brutalizes the people. Look at
that Jail the day Cluverius was hung.
Thousands of people outside the walls
craning their necks for n glimpse OF
him. while there were hundreds of pco-
ple inside to see the man murdered
Tor he was murdered-legaly muir
dered.
MIR. Crenshav's idea seemed to be
that although the mans execution was
authorized by law. that it amounted to
murder in his eyes after all, he being
opposed TO capital punishment.
Il will say one thing for the PR
soner," continued Mr.. Crenshaw, lyon
newspaper people say Cluverius was
destitute of feeling Why, the second
time Mr.. King and | were there he
wept copiously and seemed to be very
much affected.
"Do YOU think he was ready to die? y
81 can't tell. | think the Governor
gave him time enough, and was per
fectly right in refusing further re-
spite. The Governors course was
straightforward, aid he was only too
anxious to find some reason to pardon
him or commute his sentence. | be-
lieve in furnishing the wicked. | think
it is our duty. | am no sickly senti-
meDtalist.
THE DESERTED ROOM.
Cluverius's room at the Jail has not
vet been opened TO list and dispose Of
the effects of deceased.
Mr.. Dunn, who was the day-watch-
man over Cluyerius, said Yesterday that
the room was opened the day after the
execution to take out the flowers and
some dishes belonging to other people,
but none of Cluverius S things had been
touched; that when he went i'll the
room that day he made two men stand
at the door and watch him to see that
he disturbed none of the property OF
deceased. Further, Mr.. Dunn said the
room would be opened as soon as he
and Mr.. Smith could meet convent
entity at the jail; that he did not be-
lieve any confession would be found in
the room.
Still the public are wholly unable TO
understand why this mystery is main
tanned and why the officers don't take
time to open the room. FIVE minutes
after Cluverius had vacated the room a
Dispatch reporter was refused admit
lance to it. 1t is still kept locked. All
the property in there belonging to de-
ceased could be put into an empty bar
rel. and a search could be easily made
inside of an hour.
1t is a pity the room wasn't opened
the day after the execution.